Forum a good start, but more needs to be done, participants say

Inviting residents to chip in ideas is all fine and good, but until something tangible comes from it, the discussion is just that — talk.

That was the assessment of some participants at the first discussion-oriented Greeley-Evans District 6 school board meeting Monday night. The board, seeking to improve community outreach, will devote the second meeting each month to a sit-down meeting with residents.

The two-hour discussion wasn’t completely freewheeling as school officials asked the 60 people to stick to the topic: revising the district’s mission and vision statement. The current statement dates back many years — “educate all students in a nurturing, challenging, safe and disciplined environment so their performance is a credit to themselves and society” — and board members want to craft it to better align with aspects of their strategic plan.

“Our assignment is to listen and to join in the discussion,” said Bruce Broderius, board president. “Our other assignment is to be as involved as you are. We are dealing with the future of the district through our children. Above all, we are seeking your wisdom as members of our community.”

Participants — many of whom received mailed invitations from the district and others who heard about it through the newspaper — sat in small groups with a board member or district administrator at each table.

They talked about making diversity, safety and achievement among the hallmarks of the district.

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Lisa Krieger Mart, a special education para-professional and parent of six school-age children, said she hopes the discussion results in action by the district.

“I wanted to get an idea of where the district felt they were heading, because I kind of felt that we’re lost,” she said.

Krieger Mart said she felt district officials already know the course they plan to take and “sometimes I think they’re doing this (community discussion) to placate people.”

Still, she thought the forum was useful and plans to attend future sessions. “I like the way it generated discussion, and we had a lot of good discussion at our table from a lot of perspectives.”

Andi Lee, president of the Greeley Education Association, the teachers’ union, said the forum “was pretty darn brave of (the school board), so thank you for letting us give the input.”

She said her group felt “diversity in the broad sense” needs to be in the new mission statement, emphasizing service to special-needs students to those of all ethnic groups. Graduation also should be mentioned, she said, as should language that conveys that all students belong and are valued.

“Those needs need to be met by the district,” Lee said. “They may be being met, but they aren’t being explicitly stated.”

Skip Carlson, who has two grandchildren in the district, said the forum was constructive, but he disagreed with district officials who praised the turnout.

“I’m aghast,” he said. “I don’t blame the schools for this. I don’t blame anyone. I blame our community. This is something that affects our whole community, and we need to be more involved.”